Omaha daily bee., 1887-11-12


stop smoking was given at II :35. The dozen
or two who were using the weed quenched
the fire, some rather reluctantly, and the
ashes slowly thrown ON the pavement:
Whether the command was given out OF
humanity to doomed men or as a precaution
against the appalling possibility Of any trcach-
erous bomb lighting in the corridor when the
fatal moment came, no person seemed aware,
DOWN Sos more in tSsr tSsn nno, said hearts prayer
was now II :45 and the suspense of the crowd
near the galows was like slow torture. There
was no relief, and the newspaper men gazed
at the gallows and noted four ropes swaying
slightly to and fro.
APPEARANCE ON THE soArroLD.
1t lacked just seven minutes and a half OF
the hour of high noon when u single white
shrouded figure, above which was face Of
yellowsh pallor the face of August Spies,
first passed to the gallows. The gapping
crowd ten feet below half rose, invountarily.
from their chars at the first glimpse Of the
apparition advancing across the scaffold.
Spies looked calm and glanced at u reporter
with trace of his old-tme cynical smile. He
walked firmly over the drop, guided by the
grasp of deputy, to the furthest edge of the
gallows Following close came Fischer, close
enough to touch Spies shroud had his hand
not been pinioned under the white muslin
Fscher's countenance had peculiar glsten
totally unlike the ashyness of Engefs heavy
features, and in strange contrast with the
dead lack of color in the pinchcd lineaments
of Parsons. The once jaunty, vivacious
Texan came last u withered old man. He
had aged twenty years since the day and
hour scarce twelve months before. when he
tripped lightly into the court before Judge
Gary and tlippantly declared that he was
ready to be tried at once for his life. The
moment his feet touched the scaffold Parsons
seemed to completely lose his identity and to
feel that his spirit was no longer part of
his body. He had wrought himself TO an
ecstacy of solemn self glorifcation. Only he,
the one American, seemed to realize to the
full that he must die in manner to impress,
if possible, on all future generations the
thought that
HE WAS MARTYR.
No tragedian that has paced a stage in
America made more marvellous presenta-
tion of self-chosen part, perfect in every
detail. The upward turn of his eyes, his
distant, far away look, and, above all, the
attitude of apparent complete resignation
that every fold of the awkward shroud only
served to make more distinct was by far the
most striking feature of attention in the
gallows' picture.
The squat form of Engel alongside, with
his stupid, wide jawed face made "a hideous
contrast to Parsons assumption Of the halo
of a martyr.
Fischer was head and shoulders taller
than the other three, making his only occa-
sional looks of too-evidcnt bravado more no
ticeable than might otherwise be at sorry
disadvantage compared with the steady cool
quiet, thorough nerve far surpassed as a
wonder the demeanor of any Of his COM
rades.
ADJUSTING THE ROPES.
Four burly deputies standing to the rear of
the four condemned men began without delay
to adjust the ropes. Spies moose being the
first one placed. He did not appear to re-
gard it of any more consequence than new
linen collar. The knot was slipped down the
cord, close against his neck. Spies did not
n tramOr
was being carried out with Fischer he turned
and quietly whispered 10 the bailiff some sug-
gestion concerning the rope.
Fischer's occasional ardor was quite no
ticeably lessened when he felt the hempen
strand, and Engel bit his under lip hard
when his turn came.
just then DR.. Murphy, young physician
standing back Of Engel, whisperingly cracked
joke in Engle's ear. Incredible as it may
seem, the ow-browed anarchist
LAUGHED OUTRIGHT
with the rope around his neck and while an
other was being fastened on Parsons by his
side, but the grotesque laugh stopped in a
single instant and Parsons meekly as a saint
cast his eyes up at the dangling rope above
him.
THE CAPS DRAWN DOWN.
Before the four anarchists had an inkling
of what was to be done the white caps were
slipped upon their heads and drawn quickly
down to the necks, shutting of the view Of
each as completely and with less warning
than does the camera cloth of the photo
grapher.
doomed men to make use of his wits while he
could. In tone of intense bitterness of
spirit, he, the man who wrote the infamous
" Revenge" circular, hissed out between his
tightly clenched teeth:
There will come time when our silence
will be more powerful than the voices they
are stranglng to death"
HURRAH FOR ANARCHY.
The last syllable of Spies concluding
words, hoarse with suppressed passion, had
not reached an end when Engel, raising his
voice, wildly cried
''Hurrah for anarchy"
Fischer caught the fire Of the utterance
and still more loudly exclaimed:
"Hurrah for anarchy" adding; "This is
the happiest moment Of my life."
There was silence like the grave, broken
abruptly by the slow, measured intOnation of
Parsons, like white-robed priest before the
altar of sacrifice. Not as dying request.
but rather like command or warning, he
shouted forth:
MAY be allowed to speakl"
Then, with slow entreaty, came:
'Will you let me speak, Sheriff Martin!''
There was another agonizing pause. Muf-
| fed through the shroud, he broke out in un-
natural, hollow accents:
LET the voice of the people be heard"
THE TRAP SPRUNG.
A crash as of falling house thundered
through the corridors. The slender ropes
We're taut. In full view of POO men in front
| were four white, writhing shrouds The
ropes could be seen slowly tightening about
| the necks that between the cap and shroud
| could be, noticed blackening and purpling.
| Nine mortal minutes passed. Then it was
| known TO certainty that not meek had been
| broken. The four Haymarket murderers
| had been literally throttled and strangled by
| law.
THE NEWS OUTSIDE.
When the intelligence came outside that
| the men We're on the scaffold the officers who
We're inside the lines of police went to the
northeast corner of Illinois street and waited
| There were in the group Chief Ebersold, Cap.
| tain Schaak, Lieutenants Ripley, Bold and
| Blottner and three patrolmen. On the roof
| of the criminal court building, where they
| could look through one of the big Jail win
| dows, We're posted nine policemen and deputy
| sheriffs. From their position they could see
| the scaffold and the condemned men upon it
| AS the grim moment approached the men on
| the roof kept the officers below informed OF
| the proceedings inside. AS II o'clock drew
| near policeman, who was straining his eyes
to see the interior of the jail, raised his hand
and without turning his head aside said, in q
thrilling tone,
| "They are putting on the caps"
| For an instant the cluster of officers waited
| below with bated breath and heads half in
| clined to one side, waiting to hear the noise
| of the drop